1. Background of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to human allergy testing apparatus, and, more particularly, to such apparatus enabling multiple simultaneous skin puncturing testing.
2. Description of Related Art
Diagnostic testing to determine which one or more substances a patient may have a particular sensitivity to, typically requires subcutaneously injecting a plurality of different biological agents at different test points on the patient. Subsequent examination of the various test sites will reveal to which substances, if any, the patient has a sensitivity or allergy.
A widely available device for making a test injection is an elongated needle-like member having several spaced apart points. In use, the pointed end is first dipped into a biological substance or extract, and then the pointed end punctures the skin to locate the test biological into necessary reactive relation to the patient. On a sensitivity reaction occurring at the test site, the allergenic substance is accordingly identified. Exemplary of such needle-like test devices are the picks disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,794.
Since a patient may be sensitive to one or several different substances from among a large number of possibilities, identification of the particular allergens may require a large number of individual tests being made. To shorten testing time and reduce inconvenience to the patient, devices are available having a hand-held body with a plurality of integral needle-like structures extending from a common surface. In use, after loading the needle-like structures with test allergenic materials, all of the structures are pressed against a patient's skin simultaneously puncturing it to form a plurality of different tests. Such multiple test structures are relatively expensive and must be discarded after use. Representative of such devices are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,289,670 (Krug); 2,522,309 (Simon); 3,556,080 (Hein); 4,871,452 (Baker); and 5,944,671 (White).